Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Recipe
Tart, sweet, and creamy lemon cheesecake filled with juicy blueberries and topped with a fresh blueberry sauce.
Servings: 10 slices
Ingredients
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
- 1 and ½ cups (155g) graham cracker crumbs approximately 10 full sheets
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 5 Tablespoons (72g) unsalted butter melted
CHEESECAKE
- 32 ounces (900g) full fat block cream cheese completely softened to room temperature1
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 8 ounces (226g) full fat sour cream about 1 scant cup; at room temperature1
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup (80mL) fresh lemon juice room temperature; approximately 3 lemons
- 4 large eggs at room temperature1
- 1 and ½ cups (285g) fresh blueberries frozen are fine, do not thaw
BLUEBERRY TOPPING
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- zest and juice of one lemon
- 6 ounces (170g) fresh blueberries about 1 heaping cup; frozen are fine, do not thaw
- 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
Instructions
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF (162ºC). Spray a 9" springform pan or my very favorite Fat Daddio's cheesecake pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a food processor, crush the graham crackers until they become a fine crumb. Pour the graham cracker crumbs into a large bowl, add the sugar and stir to combine. Drizzle the melted butter over the mixture and stir until everything is evenly saturated with butter.1 and ½ cups (155g) graham cracker crumbs, ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, 5 Tablespoons (72g) unsalted butter
- Press the graham cracker crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared springform pan, then bake the crust for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while you prepare the filling.
CHEESECAKE
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon zest and granulated sugar then beat again until combined, about another 2 minutes.32 ounces (900g) full fat block cream cheese, 2 Tablespoons lemon zest, 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- Reduce the mixer speed to low2, then add the sour cream and vanilla and mix until completely combined. Add the lemon juice and blend again until smooth.8 ounces (226g) full fat sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅓ cup (80mL) fresh lemon juice
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low after the addition of each egg and adding the next just after the previous egg starts to incorporate, and continue mixing until there are no more yellow yolk streaks.4 large eggs
- Use a large spatula to carefully fold the batter together, scraping the bottom of the bowl and the sides to gather any extra batter that may not be fully incorporated. Sometimes I need to use the mixer again, but be sure to keep it on low. Your batter should be smooth and creamy without lumps.
- Add the blueberries then use a large spatula to gently fold the blueberries into the batter until evenly dispersed.1 and ½ cups (285g) fresh blueberries
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Top with a few more blueberries, if desired. Create a water bath3 by placing the 9" springform pan in a slightly larger round pan (I like to use a 10" cake pan) and then place that pan into an even larger round pan (I like to use a 12" cake pan) or roasting pan.
- Fill the outer pan with hot water halfway up the sides of the middle pan, then carefully transfer the whole thing to the oven. You can also assemble the pans in the oven, but work quickly so as not to let too much hot air out of the oven.
- Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. The middle of the cheesecake (a center approximately 2" wide) should jiggle just a little bit. I use my digital instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature has reached 145ºF (63ºC). Turn the oven off4 and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the springform pan from all of the other pans and allow to cool on a cooling rack for another 2 hours. When the cheesecake is completely cool, cover or wrap tightly and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
BLUEBERRY TOPPING
- In a medium size saucepan, combine the cornstarch and lemon juice and whisk together until smooth. Add the lemon zest, blueberries, and sugar and turn the heat to medium-low.1 teaspoon cornstarch, zest and juice of one lemon, 6 ounces (170g) fresh blueberries, 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- Gently mix everything together as you heat, taking care not to break up the blueberries too much. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes until the mixture is thick and glossy.
- Remove from the heat and pour into a container, store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecake from the fridge and use a spatula or butter knife to gently loosen the crust from the side of the pan, then release the outer ring of the springform pan.
- Top the cheesecake with the cooled blueberry mixture and homemade whipped cream, if desired. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Cheesecake freezes well, up to 3 months. Freeze blueberry topping separately. Thaw everything in the refrigerator overnight, and top cheesecake with blueberry mixture and whipped cream before serving.
Notes
- Room temperature: I cannot stress enough how important it is to have completely room temperature ingredients. This will insure you have the smoothest batter possible. I like to let my ingredients sit out at least 1 hour and sometimes closer to 2 hours before starting my recipe.
- Mixer speed: it's important not to go above low (or low-medium) speed after you've beaten the cream cheese. Incorporating too much air will create bubbles and potential cracks in your finished cheesecake.
- Water bath pans: here is a bundle that includes all the pans I use. Using this method eliminates the need to wrap anything in foil.
- Cool the cheesecake: I like to prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Did you make this recipe?Mention @freshaprilflours on Instagram or tag #freshaprilflours!
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 754mg | Potassium: 370mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 482IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 368mg | Iron: 1mg
